Journal Sentinel projects win national acclaim

Several Journal Sentinel projects have been recognized in national competitions for excellence in journalism.

Meg Kissinger's report on the legal system and the difficulty in getting help for those with mental illness who are dangerous to themselves or others has won a Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association. The award for "Imminent Danger" was announced Wednesday.

John Fauber was named a Loeb finalist in the beat reporting category for "Side Effects," a series of stories that focuses on conflicts of interest and flawed research involving doctors, drug companies and device-makers.

The "Shattered Trust" investigation, on a Wisconsin-based wipes manufacturer and lax federal oversight of the industry, is a finalist in the medium and small newspapers category. It involved reporters Raquel Rutledge, Rick Barrett, John Diedrich and Ben Poston, and photojournalist Mike De Sisti.

Loeb winners will be announced June 26.

"Our goal is to serve Wisconsin with great in-depth and investigative reporting, and these awards are a result of that," said George Stanley, Journal Sentinel managing editor. "The Silver Gavel recognizes journalism that serves the cause of justice; the Loeb awards honor the very best in business reporting. We're up there with the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post in having multiple finalists."

Kissinger's series has previously been recognized with a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and an award from the Association of Health Care Journalists.

The Shattered Trust series has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Association of Health Care Journalists and others.

In the competition sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists, columnist James E. Causey was named a finalist in the commentary category for large newspapers, and the "Empty Cradles" project on Milwaukee's infant mortality rate was named a finalist in the investigative series category.